Tail-docking machine



Y 1,629 042 May 17, 1927. K W. MOORE* TAIL DOCKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 5. 1926 nventoz JEL/ Moore.

Patented May 17, 1927.

UNITED STATESl KARL W. MOORE, OF CYNTHIANA, KENTUCKY.

TAIL-DOCKING vMACHIIE.

Application filed February This invention relates to improvements in machines forvdocking the tailsof lambs and has as one of its objects to provide a machine for this purpose which may be readily and quickly operated to sever the tails with a clean cut so that the stumps will rapidly heal and s0 that the operation will bevless painful than when performed by the ordinary machines for this purpose.

Another object of the invention is to p'rovide a docking machine in which the cuttlng blade is so mounted and operated as to eect a shear cut as distinguished from a chopping cut.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the blade will be normallyl yieldably supported in inactive posltion so that the operator of the machine may `conveniently position the lamb wlth 20 respect to the machine, having the free use of both hands and not being required to holdy the blade elevated. v

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the blade will be automatically supplied with an antiseptic at each operation of the blade so that antiseptic will be applied to the stub of the tail at the time the tail is docked, thereby obviating the necessity of applying such a ation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a 'docking machine which may be manufactured at an extremely low cost and which will be simple in construction andl not liable to any disarrangement of its component parts.

In the accompanying drawings: y

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the docking machine embodying the invention,

parts being broken away and parts beingv shown in section, the blade of the machine being shown in full lines in elevated or 1nactive position and in 'dotted lines in lowmedicament subsequent to the docking oper-` 3,1926. 'Serial No. 85,743.

openings in the said flanges and driven into Y a post, the side of a barn, or any other convenient. fixed object. The lower edge portions of the plates l are bent to extend laterally at right angles in opposite directions as indicated by the numeral 4, and these portions 4 are bent back upon themselves to provide flanges 5 which serve to Vnot only reenforce the portions 4 b ut also to engage` and support lateral flanges 6 at ytheupper edges of `the side walls of a disinfectant or antiseptic tank, which isindicated by the numeral 8 and into which any suitable disinfectant or antiseptic may be introduced. rl`he rear edges of the plates l, indicated by the numeral 9, are extended on downwardly and forwardly inclined lines and are, therefore, disposed in an'inclined position above the lower edge portions 4Vof the plates at'the reail of the machine and are spaced above the plane of the said portions 4 so that the tails of the animals to be docked may be disposed between these edge portions and in position rcstin-g upon the saidportion 4. Rearwardly of the rear edges 9 of the plates l, their edge portions 4 are spaced apart to provide a slot which is indicated by the numeral l0 and which extends longitudinally above the tank 8, and, it will be understood that the plates may constitute an integral structure including their said edge portions 4, as shown in Figure 3, or their said edge portions 4 may be suitably bridged and connected at the rear end of the structure.

It will be observed by reference to Figures l, 3 and 4 of the drawings that due to the downward and forwardk inclination of the edges 9 of the plates l, the walls of the slot- 10 are constituted bythe inner or opposingedges of the edge portions 4 so that one of these walls, indicated by the numeral l1, constitutes a shearing edge with which the blade of the machine coacts in a manner to be presently explained.

VThe blade, which is indicated in general by the numeral 12, is riveted or otherwise secured at its upper edge portion to an arm 13 provided at its rear end with a handle 14 and pivotally connected at its :forward end by a pivot pin 1li, to the lower ends oi" spaced links 16 which are, in turn, snspended for swinging movement troni a pivot bolt 17 secured through the side plates l et the machine, washers 18 being arranged upon the said bolt 1.7 to suitably space-the links 16 with relation 'lo each other and likewise with relation to the side plates l. The side plates 1 are termed with downwardly and forwardly inclined slots 1S) which are located opposite each other and extend substantially parallel to the edges 9 ot the said plates, and the lower wall of each slot is provided with an outstanding flange indicated by the numeral 20. A pin 21 is secured transversely through the arm 13 and the forward end ol the blade 12 ant works in the said slot 19, the ends oit the said pin 21 projecting a sulicient distance beyond the opposite sides oi? the said arm and blade to project through the slots and ride upon the flanges 20. rlie blade -is beveled along its lower edge portion to provide an arcuate cutting edge which is indicated by the numeral 22. 'lhe opposite side ot the blade is plane so that the cutting edge 22 may have shearingv coaction with the edge 11 heretofore referred to and which edge constitutes one wall of the slot 10, it being understood that due to the curvilinear shape of the cutting edge of the blade and its shearing coaction with the edge 11, the tail disposed upon the members l and between the said members and the edges 9 of the plates 1, will be cleanly severed and particu-l larly due to the fact that, the blade has a floating movement inasmuch as it is supported by the links 16 and guided .in its travel by the projecting ends ot the pin 21 which ride along the flanges 20. lt will be observed by reference to Figures 1 and l o' the drawings that when the blade-carrying arm 13 is moved downwardly, the blade will follow a downward and forward arcuate path and, in its full lowered position, willl be substantially immersed in the antiseptic whichis contained within the tan; 8 and, when the blade carrying arm is swung upwardly and rearwardly, the blade will carry with it some ot the antiseptic which will be applied to the butt or stub of the animals tail at the next docking operation.

ln order that the blade may be yieldably sustained in an elevated position. a resilient detent finger 23 is' secured at one end to the upper end. of one oit the t anges 20 and extends downwardly and forwardly and is provided with a bend forming a nose 24- behind which the projecting end of the pin 21 may engage in the manner shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, so as to retain the blade in an elevated position while the tail is being positioned upon the members l and beneath the edges 9 oi' the side plates. The linger is located at the upper end of the slot l?) beside which it is .positioned and it will he inmerstood that due to the resiliency ol' the said finger, bul.` litlle resistance will be oll'ered lo downward movement of the blade-carrying arm 13 in the operation of the machine.

lilas/ing thus described the invention, what l claim is: Y

1. ln a tail docking machine, a support constituting a stationary rest for the tail to be docked, and a cutting blade supported ter slidable movementin a curvilinear path toward and 'from the rest and coacting therewith ywhen moved in the direction of the rest to impart a shearing cut to the tail thereon. i

2. ln a tail docking machine,'spaced supporting plates, a link suspended Jfor swinging` movement between the said plates, an arm pivotally connected at one end with the lower end ot the said link, a blade carried by the said arm, the said plates having inclined slots formed therein, a supportV constituting a rest for the tail to be docked, and a pin carried bythe arm and engaging at its ends in the said slots whereby to etiect guiding of the blade in a curvilfinearpath toward and from the said support.

In a tail dockingV machine, spaced supporting plates, a link suspended for swinging movement- `between t-he said plates, an arm pivotally connected at its lower end with the link, the plates having inclined slots therein, a pin carried by the arm and engaging at its ends in the said slots, a blade carried by the arm, a handle atl the outer end oi' the arm, and a support constituting a rest for the tail to be docked and positioned in the path of movement olz the said blade.

4C. In a tail docking machine, spaced supporting plates, a link suspended for swinging movement between the said plates, an arm pivotally connected at one end to the said link, the plates having inclined slots therein, flanges extending laterally outwardly rom the lower walls of the slots, a pin carried by the arm and having its end portions projecting into the! slots and riding upon the saidV flanges, a blade carried by the arm, a handle at the outer end' ofthe arm, and a support constituting a rest tor the tail to be docked and positioned in the path ot' movement of the said blade.

5. In a tail docking machine, spaced supporting plates, a link suspended for swingingmovement between the said plates, an arm pivotally connected at one end to the said link, the plates having inclined slots therein, iianges extendinglaterally outwardly from the lower walls of the slots, a pin carried by the arm and having its end portions projecting into the slots and riding upon the said flanges, a blade carried by the arm, a handle at the outer end of the arm, and a support constituting a rest for the tail to be docked and positioned in the path of movement of the said blade, the said support having an edge portion for shearing Contact by the cutting edge of the blade.

6. In a tail docking machine, a support constituting a rest for the tail to be docked, a container arranged below the support for containing an antiseptic, anda blade mounted for movement toward and from the said support and, entering the said container,

slot, and a blade mounted for movement toward and from the support and having a cutting edge for shearing coaction with the said shearing edge of the support, the blade entering the said container in its movement toward the support.

V8. In a tail docking machine, spaced supporting plates, a link suspended for swinging movement between the plates, the plates having inclined slots therein, an arm pivotally connected at one end to the link and moving between the said plates, a pin carried by the arm and having its end portions projecting into the slots, means upon one of the plates for engagement with one end of the pin when the arm is in elevated position to yieldably support the said arm in such position, a blade carried by the arm, and a support constituting a rest for the tail to be docked and located in the path of movement of the said blade.

In testimony whereof I aliix myv signature.

KARL W. MOORE. 

